1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a copying apparatus and particularly to a copying apparatus having auto-clear means, including an editing input apparatus connected thereto.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Copying machines having auto-clear means have been proposed. Such a copying machine is reset to an initial state if any operation keys are not used for a predetermined period. For example, it is assumed that the number of copies is set to "5" by using ten keys. In this case, if a predetermined period has passed, the set number of copies of a copying machine is reset to an initial value "1".
On the other hand, there has been proposed an editing input apparatus to be connected with a copying machine. Information for performing editing copy operation of a copying machine can be easily inputted to such an editing input apparatus. For example, information such as an area to be edited or an edit mode can be easily inputted to such an editing input apparatus. The area to be edited is defined for example by coordinates. The edit mode includes a mode for erasure inside an edited area, a mode for erasure outside an edited area, and the like. A copying machine to which such an editing input apparatus is connected performs editing copy operation based on the editing copy information inputted by the editing input apparatus.
If a conventional copying machine having auto-clear means is connected with a conventional editing input apparatus, determination is only made as to whether an edit mode is set or not, based on a signal outputted from the editing input apparatus to the copying machine. Input of the above described editing copy information is not detected. Consequently, automatic clearing is effected irrespective of whether coordinates or the like are inputted or not. Since a standard copy mode is set in an initial state of the copying machine, when automatic clearing is effected, the already inputted editing copy information is all brought into a non-inputted state. As a result, the input of the above described editing copy information is canceled. Thus, the memory where the above described information has been stored is cleared.
However, input of editing copy information, particularly, coordinates, is a relatively troublesome operation. Accordingly, if the already input editing copy information is reset to a non-inputted state, this causes great inconvenience to the operator. On the other hand, such inconvenience may be dissolved by resetting a timer of the auto-clear means when any editing copy information is inputted in the editing input apparatus. However, in such a case, the number of signals to be transmitted is increased. In consequence, a control system in that case is complicated.